MLB Franchise Notes: Mariners GM Job Seen As Attractive Position
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said that he would "grant permission happily," if the Mariners wanted to interview Dodgers VP & Assistant GM Kim Ng or Dodgers Assistant GM of Scouting Logan White for the team's GM position. Ng is "believed to be interested in the Seattle job but declined to comment." White said that he "would be interested in discussing the position" (L.A. TIMES, 6/22). A current GM said of the Mariners GM position, "I'd characterize it as a premium job. Every job has its warts. The dynamic with the CEO [Howard Lincoln] might be an issue. I've found the single greatest impediment to winning is the ownership dynamic. It's not a perfect job, but it's a very good one because of the upside and, frankly, because of what you're following." Another exec said, "A lot of the big guys in the business have always said, long before this happened, 'Wow, Seattle.' My guess is, if they go about it the right way, they could have the pick of the litter. It has everything -- a fan base that will get behind you; a great, livable city; a division where you can be competitive; a media market that's not as high-pressured as some on the East Coast. What don't they have? Long plane flights. Big deal" (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/22).
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| Marlins Rank Last In MLB In Average Attendance |
RAYS & MARLINS: In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay writes, "While the Rays are capitalizing on their newfound success and seeing attendance rise, the Marlins rank last and are averaging fewer fans a game this year than last, despite pitching what some call the best value for your entertainment dollar." Marlins VP/Marketing Sean Flynn: "We don't really sell wins and losses. We continue to reinforce our brand message that we think we have the best entertainment value in South Florida." Rays ticket sales are "up 36.3[%] through the first 39 games from 14,462 last season to 19,711 this year." FSN Florida and Sun Sports are "reporting TV ratings increases from last season: 6[%] for the Marlins in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale market, and 28.5[%] for the Rays in the Tampa-St. Petersburg market." Rays Senior VP & Chief Sales Officer Mark Fernandez said that "sales of Marlins gear are up 62[%] from last season," while Rays' "merchandise sales are up 70[%] to 90[%] from last year" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 6/23).
BREWERS: In Milwaukee, Don Walker writes under the header, “Brewers Nation. As Milwaukee’s Baseball Team Finds Greater Success, A Rising Tide Of Blue-And-Gold-Clad Fans Follows On The Road.” While the team is on pace to break last season’s home attendance mark, it seems Brewers fans in recent years are “taking this thing national.” The Twins for this weekend’s home series against the Brewers are “expecting 3,000 to 5,000 Brewers fans at each game” (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/23). The Brewers through Saturday’s MLB games are averaging the seventh-highest total home attendance in the NL. Milwaukee is the “smallest market in the majors, with a metro base of 1.7 million,” so the Brewers per capita are “by far the best-attended franchise in the NL and, for that matter, all of baseball” (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/23).
NOTES: MLB will not issue payment to A’s players for their season-opening series against the Red Sox in Tokyo until July. The A’s players had been “under the impression that the money would arrive months sooner." The players will each receive between $40,000-45,000, “based on a potential $5,000 bonus for revenue earned” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/23)….Global-warming activists have initiated a campaign aimed at Nationals Owners the Lerner family and the “baseball-supporting public in the hope the Nationals will end their relationship with ExxonMobil.” The activists at Friday’s Rangers-Nationals games outside Nationals Park “urged fans to boo during the ExxonMobil-sponsored seventh-inning stretch” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 6/23).
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